1992 20p small head/large head

[coinan the barbarian]

It could be that i haven't encountered a small head coin yet, but as i look at my large stack of 1992 20p some look sharper at the neck than others - the traditional way of detection - but when I put them under my microscope they all look the same. Is there any other way of identifying the two different varieties?

[Peckris]

It could be that i haven't encountered a small head coin yet, but as i look at my large stack of 1992 20p some look sharper at the neck than others - the traditional way of detection - but when I put them under my microscope they all look the same. Is there any other way of identifying the two different varieties?

Jubilee Head shillings they're not! I've never seen any difference and if you need a microscope ... my interest flies out the window

[hertfordian]

It could be that i haven't encountered a small head coin yet, but as i look at my large stack of 1992 20p some look sharper at the neck than others - the traditional way of detection - but when I put them under my microscope they all look the same. Is there any other way of identifying the two different varieties?

Jubilee Head shillings they're not! I've never seen any difference and if you need a microscope ... my interest flies out the window

Hi there

I have got one of each example and there is a noticeable different to the naked eye (albeit not massive). I'd say there's about a millimetre extra space around the portrait - most noticeably at the bottom of the neck where it goes near the inner rim of the coin.

Hope that helps?

[coinan the barbarian]

Many thanks for the help. I like the 20p as a coin for some obscure reason, and I have lots of varieties/errors including the extra 1 or i, the queen's mole on her face, the lion's knobbly knee above and the knobbly knee below, but my flabber is ghasted because I have never encountered a small head 1992 20p! I'll just keep on looking.

[Peckris]

It could be that i haven't encountered a small head coin yet, but as i look at my large stack of 1992 20p some look sharper at the neck than others - the traditional way of detection - but when I put them under my microscope they all look the same. Is there any other way of identifying the two different varieties?

Jubilee Head shillings they're not! I've never seen any difference and if you need a microscope ... my interest flies out the window

Hi there

I have got one of each example and there is a noticeable different to the naked eye (albeit not massive). I'd say there's about a millimetre extra space around the portrait - most noticeably at the bottom of the neck where it goes near the inner rim of the coin.

Hope that helps?

Don't be offended but decimal micro-varieties just don't do it for me. If there'd been large and small 10p's / 5p's circulating for the year they changed over, and if one type was much scarcer than the other - THEN I'd be interested. Or, if 1985 50p's weren't also available in BU year sets, I'd be interested in that too. I might be interested in the rare large 10p varieties, as they are apparently truly rare.

[coinan the barbarian]

I understand where you are coming from with the micro varieties, but for me it's so easy to spend some retired time sifting coins and if they will make a bob or two for the grand childrens grand children when I am long gone, then it will have been worth it. I was a coin collector many years ago but had the uninsured (couldn't afford it) collection stolen and I can't afford to invest heavily in all of those William IV shillings and some lovely hammered pieces, any more. So this is the nearest I get to former glories, but I enjoy it nevertheless. If I can pick up the odd bargain at boot fares or even on ebay I still do, but I am limited to just that - boot fares, ebay bargains (very few) and coins in circulation.

[just.me]

The 1985 to 1991 have small heads and 1993 to 1997 are large heads, so comparing them should be easy enough.

The 1992 specimen set I have contains a small head and the 1992 circulation coin I have is a large head.

[Cerbera100]

Many thanks for the help. I like the 20p as a coin for some obscure reason, and I have lots of varieties/errors including the extra 1 or i, the queen's mole on her face, the lion's knobbly knee above and the knobbly knee below, but my flabber is ghasted because I have never encountered a small head 1992 20p! I'll just keep on looking.

If you are referring to the 2008 shield-reverse with the 'extra 1', in my opinion this is a die crack... I have four examples showing the growth of the crack - however I can see why the early one can be thought of as a 1. I'll pop some pics up tomorrow!

[Boomstick]

Interesting...got a couple of hundred quid of 20p's in a jar upstairs - will have to have a rummage! I'll send you one if I find one Coinan.

[coinan the barbarian]

Interesting...got a couple of hundred quid of 20p's in a jar upstairs - will have to have a rummage! I'll send you one if I find one Coinan.

You are too kind!